The second chance
by Stella296
Summary: Everybody deserves a second chance, right? What if the past catches up with the Joker and he needs to make his choice? This story will become M eventually.
1. Chapter 1 Prologue

This takes places in the movie right before the parade to honor the death Commissioner.

* * *

„So – ho- ho. Now that we're all cops, I suggest we be-have as such. Let's get some co-ff-ee." the Joker said.

"Boss, let's get it somewhere else." One of his man said.

"Why? Is there a reason Billy?" the Joker was curious now.

"Yeah, it's the girl that works in there. She's weird." Billy replied merely.

"Oh really? I've a thing for weird woman. So I should meet her, shouldn't I?" the Joker returned amused as he made his way in the little shop. It was one of these typical small shops with just a counter and two bistro tables. As soon as he opened the door and looked in the girls eyes behind the counter, he knew what Billy meant. The girl was a tall blond with blue eyes which gave you the feeling of get x-rayed. She greeted them with a smile. But not one word of welcome.

"Three coffee." snapped Billy at the girl. She just nodded and turned around. She grabbed three to-go-cups and placed them one after the other under the coffee maker.

The joker knew that his scars would probably give the girl a clue who he was, even without make up. And he didn't want to risk any complications, but the girl starred at him with no shame. She hadn't stopped smiling since she stopped him entering the small shop.

When Billy put some money on the counter, grabbed the coffee and started to go, the Joker stopped him with a move of his hand.

"How did you know we wanted coffee to go?" the Joker asked.

The smile on the girls face grow even wider. "Oh, I guessed you had to be somewhere else soon. The parade is about to start in five minutes." she replied nonchalant in a sweet voice.

The joker was stunned for a second before his own trademark smile appeared on his face. He nodded and turned around to leave.

As soon as his henchmen closed the door, he turned his head just a bit and commanded. "Make sure she's in the office when we get back there. This girl is not weird, she's crazy. Interesting crazy. She knew exactly who I am but wasn't scared. Not. Even. A. Bit."

* * *

The joker came back to the empty warehouse that he called _the office_. It was in the Narrows. In those ugly places a police car wouldn't show up even if they would call the police. His mood wasn't the best. The major was still alive but at least Commissioner Gordon was death. Harvey Dent could escape as well and even take his new best pet, the pathetic schizophrenic boy from Arkham with him. Crane wouldn't be pleased to hear about that.

"Boss, the weirdo is upstairs." one of the henchmen told him.

"The weirdo?" the Joker asked confused. By now, he had already totally forgotten about her.

"The girl. The barista?!" the men asked.

"Oh, her. I forgot. I hope for your own sake, that nobody saw you kidnap her." The joker hissed.

"Actually, we didn't kidnap her."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The Joker asked furious by now. He hated it when he had to interview them for every little detail.

"She went along on her own free will."

The joker furrowed. First this girl didn't even flinch when she sees his face, now she was here on her own will. "Pray, idiots. Pray she isn't a cop." he snapped before he went to the highest floor of the building which was the Joker's private flat.

When the Joker opened the door and found it unlocked, he decided that one of the idiots downstairs had to die. To make an example what happened if they do their job lazy.

He expected the girl to sneak around or sitting in a corner crying. But what he not expected was to find her sitting on the couch, starring at him as he came through the door.

"Well heeeello beautiful." The joker said teasingly as he went towards her.

She just kept smiling and nodded.

"Aren't you going to tell me your na-ame?" the joker asked nearly annoyed. She didn't seem to be scared. Not. A. Bit.

"And here I thought you still remembered, Jack." she answered.

* * *

A/N: So this is the epilogue. The first chapter should be up soon.


	2. Chapter 2 Alice in Jokerland

A/N Thanks to my amazing beta Holly, here's the first chapter without any grammar or spelling mistakes :-) Please R&R!!

* * *

„WHERE did you hear that name, dollface?" the joker spat angrily as he walked towards the girl. His face was even more of a grimace than usual.

"You really don't remember, do you?" the girl whispered in return.

"No-ho. And now listen good and listen close because I just going to say this once. NEVER, never call me that name again. I swear if anyone of the men hear about this, you're dead faster than you can say "sorry"." The Joker returned furious.

"What am I supposed to call you then?" the girl asked, still cool, without the tiniest prove of scare.

"Boss, Mr. J, preferably nothing at all. So, since you're obviously in the talking mood. Do tell me, why didn't you fight the men when they took you to bring here?" the Joker asked much more calm now.

"What would have been the point in that? The only thing that would have been happen were injuries for me. And I'm not the masochistic kind." she replied nonchalant.

"You're right." the Joker said amused. "I get wha- ha- at I want. Next point: what's your name dollface?"

"No. What would be the fun in telling you the name? I want you to remember. But I give you the age. 22."

"And what preee – ciii - sely should that tell me?" the Joker asked annoyed.

"Seven years, eight months, nine days."

"And what'zzzz that supposed to mean?" The joker was really not much in the mood for this little game. He loved games but only if he was the master of it. He took his knife from one of his many pockets in his jacket, jumped on the couch next to the girl and grabbed her hair with one hand while the other one held the knife against her throat. "Look, dollface, I'm really not in the mood to play right now. You tell. Me. NOW."

The edges of her mouth went upwards. A nasty little smirk was the only response he seemed to get. He sighed and pulled her hair hard. He gasped for air for a second before she opened her mouth and began to sing hushed twinkle, twinkle little star.

The flashback in the Joker's head started like a BANG.

* * *

_Jack Napier was a fourteen year old teenager, with no hobbies, no friends and a pair of the worst parents a kid could have. They lived in a part of Gotham where people like that wasn't welcome. When Jack past their front gardens on Saturday on his way to the playground, those suburban people cringed their noses. He was a loner. He wasn't comfortable with that but he hadn't much of a choice. _

_The school was the same. He hated it there. The boys punched him, the girls laughed at him. So he was more than surprised that on one of this Saturday mornings when he sat on a bench on the playground two girls he'd never seen before came straight towards him. And they looked friendly._

"_Hi! We're new here. I'm Amanda but you can call me Mandy and this is my younger sister, Alice." the older girl greeted him. She was tall and blond and quiet pretty. Her younger sister looked very much like her but was obviously younger._

"_I'm Jack." he replied simply. Still shocked that those two human beings tried to found a friendship with him, the freak._

"_Hi Jack. How old are you?" Mandy asked._

"_I'm 14. you?" _

"_I'm 13. Alice is 7. Do you go to the High School in Church Street as well?" _

"_Yep. Unfortunately…."_

_They sat down and talked quite a while. Little Alice didn't say a word so far, she just starred at Jack. But there was nothing evil or sheepish in her eyes. She was just very curious, thought Jack. _

_When Mandy and Jack started to exchange birth dates, the little kid smiled at him._

"_Jack, you know what? You're exactly seven years, eight months and nine days older than me."_

_Jack returned the smile. But Mandy didn't like to have not the complete attention so she shushed the little girl and continued talking._

xoxo

The joker's face fell a bit. But the very next moment his wide smile appeared again.

"So, that's how we meet again, little Alice. Un-fort-uuunately is this no wonderland." he said smirking as he let go of her hair and put the knife back in his jacket.

"I'm not so sure about that." She returned the smirking.

* * *

A/N Next chapters will be longer. Promise!


	3. Chapter 3 Bad memories

Alice sat alone in the apartment above the warehouse. After the little remembering-session he excused himself fast because he had _work_ to do. She knew that this little confrontation could bring either the worst or something quite good. Since she was still alive, it seems to be # 2.

Jack told her to stay in the apartment. She came on her free will so he kept the threatening. But she was pretty sure that behind the heavy wood door with his thick lock would be armed henchmen. And those wouldn't be thrilled when she tried a little _break wrap_. So she decided to took a closer look at the flat. She started with room she was in right now. It seemed to be a kind of living room. The bare brick walls looked actually pretty. And there were large windows. But except two couches, a small table between them and a large desk with a chair there was nothing in this room. Alice recognized how clean everything was. On the desk were some pencils. All strict in order. '_For someone who calls himself the Master of chaos looks this place quite organized_'.

Beside the front door were three other doors in this room. She decided to take a look at the first one right next to her. She opened it slowly. It was a bathroom. White flicking, the sink, the tub, the shower cup, as well as the toilet were made of white porcelain. Everything in here was as clean as the living room. She closed the door and tried the next one on the other side of the room. It was his bedroom. A king size bed with dark silver sheets. It looked like silk. 'He has taste.' A large, dark wood cupboard with six doors stood on the left side of the room. She walked over and opened the first two doors. Suits. Purple, green, brown and very much to her surprise a black tux and a large, black suit bag. She decided that today wasn't the day to explore this cupboard. Not when Jack could come back any second. So she closed the cupboard again and walked out of the room.

The last door was the kitchen. Deep red furniture, a black granite countertop, and a large glass table with four chairs. 'Oh my god, he has definitely a good taste.' She went to the fridge and opened it. Coke light, vodka, chocolate pudding cups. And. Nothing. Else. In the cupboards were some other foodstuffs like noodles and cornflakes. But this kitchen was obvious not really used for cooking. An idea came to her mind. 'He used to love pasta. I need him to be in a good mood before I tell him what he should know for years now.'

She looked for a piece of paper. When she finally found some post-its in one of the drawers, she walked over to the desk and wrote a list. When she finished it, she walked to the front door and knocked on it. She had heard him locking the door early. But she believed that he had let the keys with his men.

"Yaaah?" A rough voice sounded on the other side of the door.

"Would you be so kind to open the door?" Alice commanded.

"There's nothing I'd love to do more than that, chick. But the boss took the keys with him." the smarmy voice returned.

"Okay." After the first initial shock, Alice got angry. How could he look her in like that? What if something happened? "Now, here's a list of things I want someone to buy since I can't do it myself." She slipped the list and a twenty dollar note under the door.

After a little while she heard laughter at the other side.

"Sorry, babe. But I don't think so. None of us is the maid." The laughter got quiet and she heard some stepping away from the door. She sighed angry. There was nothing to do around here and she didn't know when Jack or the Joker or whatever he wanted to be called would be back. So she walked in the bedroom, grabbed a blanket and laid down on the couch. Perhaps all of this was more bearable with some rest.

* * *

The noises of unlocking the door woke her up. But she didn't moved. He sounded angrily as he yelled at his henchmen. She did her best not to flinch when he slammed the door shut behind him and locked it again. He was next to the sofa in a second and that was when she realized a sudden pain in her back. She flinched and sat up. He had kicked her in the back.

"YOU! What did I tell you? I don't like it, when someone dis-o-bey me, dollface." he said angrily.

"What do you mean? I'm still here, aren't I?" she returned. A second later she felt his hand on her face. He'd slapped her in the face.

"Watch it, little whore. Don't think you can talk to me like this. Don't think you're in the place to spread commandos either." he throw her list in her lap.

She sighed, took the list and locked her eyes with his.

"I just wanted to cook something." she said. Not quite sure what his reaction would be.

Before she could react he had pulled her on her hair again, his index finger of the free hand pushed in her throat. "Look dollface, if you're hungry you should have had a look in the kitchen. If that's not good enough for you, I'm afraid you'll learn to starve quite a bit. But my henchmen on the other side of this door aren't your maids. Am I clear?"

She nodded.

"Good." he said before he slapped her another time hard across her face. She knew it would be bruised by tomorrow. And she also knew that it wasn't her that got him so angry.

She touched her face and bite back some tears. When he saw this, he sighed.

"You brought this to yourself, dollface. Don't make me so angry again and that won't happen again." The Joker declared.

She chuckled evil. He was impressed. Every normal woman would be death afraid by now.

"And here I thought you were different than your father." she snapped.

* * *

Flashback.

"_Jack! Jack!" Alice called him as she ran after him. The boy stopped and turned around._

"_Jack, Mandy send me. She said you borrowed her Shakespeare book but she needs it back." Alice told him._

_Jack took a look at the girl. Of course her sister wouldn't show up in person. As soon as Mandy came to the school, she learned the rules there. She wanted to be part of the In-crowd, cheerleader even. But that requested following the rules. And one rule was: not associate with that weird Napier boy. And that she did. So it was kind of logical that she would send her little sister to ask for the book she actually gave him as a gift._

"_Fine. Come in." the boy said as he guided her inside of the house._

_As soon as they were in, they became witnesses of a fight between his parents._

"_NO BETSY! I TOLD YOU NOT TO DO THAT!" his father yelled at his mother who was leaned against the kitchen counter, obviously afraid._

"_But John, I just wanted to cheer you up!" his mother returned._

"_Yeah by embarrassing me. But that won't happen again, now, will it? Let me give you a reminder to memorize this." his father declared evil before he slapped his wife several times hard in the face._

_Jack run towards him and wanted to stop him but his father throw him back and started swearing. _

"_And you! who are you?" his father pointed at Alice but the girl turned around and ran out. She ran home and locked herself in her room. _That was the second to last time she saw Jack, before seeing him now, as the Joker.

_

* * *

_

A/N: so this is Chapter 3. As some of you guessed already, I'm not a native speaker so please be kind though! I know there are sometimes grammar mistakes but I really try hard to write it well.

Thanks goes to catincanada for correcting my grammar mistakes :-)


	4. Chapter 4 Are you insane? Of course!

He froze in the place. Something highly unusual for the Joker. But this came unexpected. The bunny just compared him with his father. The monster from his childhood. The monster that still haunted him in his dreams from time to time.

Alice rose from the couch and walked over to the bathroom. But before she could open it, he caught her arm and pulled her back to him. He eyed her carefully and so did she. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife.

"Sorry." he mumbled and this was the very last thing she expected to hear. The man who was able to blow buildings up while people could be in there. The guy who was able to kill with his bare hands and a magic trick or two. The _freak_ who let her be kidnapped because he saw her once and decided that he liked her face. This human being just apologized to her.

"It's okay." she replied. The vision of the scared teenage boy entered her mind and she couldn't stop herself from getting weak for a moment or two. So she did something potentially dangerous. She pulled _him_ closer and hugged him. The Joker was completely taken back by this. So he patted her back helplessly like a two year old would pat the back of a dog. After a moment he pulled back.

"Uhm, look, dollface. I, uh, I'm not the kind of guy, uh, _a guy like me_, uh doesn't do the girlfriend thing." he stuttered.

"Neither do I." she smirked victoriously as she turned and walked towards the bathroom.

When she closed the door, he starred blank at the door.

_'Okay, J, NOW you know what you didn't missed the last, uh, 7 years_.' the Joker told himself.

* * *

Three hours later, the Joker sat on his desk and worked on some blue prints while Alice sat on the couch and read the newspapers he brought along – thankfully. Suddenly there was a knocking on the door. The Joker looked up and furrowed. His men knew exactly that they weren't allowed to disturbing him except one case: Batsy paid them a visit. But right now, he knew Batman was on the hunt of Crane.

"Miiiiista Jaaaay." a female voice sounded on the other side of the door. The Joker sighed dramatic as he rose and walked over to the door. Now it was Alice part to furrow. The Joker opened the heavy wood door.

"Harley." he sighed.

"Hey Puddin'". a petite woman in a black and red harlequin costume said. Matching to her costume she wore the famous _war paint_ and a jester's hat. "I thought I come over and look after you and do some cleani…." the last part of the sentence went death when the woman stopped Alice on the couch. Alice just held the eye contact and waited for the next thing to happen.

"Who's this?" the harlequin woman asked angrily.

"Harley. Don't you dare making a scene." the Joker spat warningly.

"I guess, I give you guys just a moment." Alice sat as she stood up from the couch and walked over to the bedroom door.

"Don't you dare, slut!" Harley yelled.

"What did you just call me?" Alice returned and stood beside Harley within a second. She was nearly a head taller than the harlequin.

"Just what you obviously are! A whore! And you won't go anything near my Mister J's bed." the petite replied furious by now.

"Listen good and listen close you little weirdo…" Alice started but the Joker cut her off.

"Enough! Alice you can wait in the bedroom _of course_." the Joker said gentle. He did this because he knew exactly who much it would piss Harley off. But it was about time to get rid of her. So far he had tried everything. Even blow her up in the night sky. Everything but _cheating_. Of course you can't cheating on someone you're not in a relationship with but it was worth a try. Alice nodded and walked over. Closing the door behind her.

As soon as the door was closed, there was much yelling on the other side of the door. It seemed that the little Harley girl wasn't a fan of Alice. After five minutes a door got slammed, some locks were put in place and the silence became deafening. That was the moment, Alice decided it was safe enough to go back.

The Joker sat on his desk again.

"She doesn't like the idea of me being here, huh?" Alice said.

The Joker chuckled a bit.

"Can I have some clothes? I need a shower and I don't have things to change here, so…" Alice added.

"Yep. Of course you can." he rose from his chair, went to the large cupboard and grabbed a shirt, a pair of boxers and socks. "You will need the socks. It's cold in here at the nights. Tomorrow we'll get you some clothes."

She was stunned by so much kindness of him. Of him of all people!

"Thanks."

* * *

When she finished the dressing and left the bathroom, the lights in the living room were off already. Jack – no, the Joker – seemed to be in bed already. So she stood there a long moment and deliberated about whether sleeping on the tacky, smelling couch or pushing her luck and get in bed with him. _'The silk sheets looked good so what the hell_.' So she opened the bedroom door. Finding him in the bed reading.

"Finally! Took you long enough, woman!" he snapped as he get out of the bed, past her and walked to the bath room. She shrugged and got in the bed on the opposite side from where he just laid a minute ago. She took a look at the book he read. _Dan Brown – Illuminati. 'you've got to be kidding!'_

When he got back she had already snuggled in the pillows and had closed her eyes.

"I see, couldn't wait to get in bed with me, huh?" he said. She opened one eye and was deeply impressed. The make up was of. She popped her head up and watched him.

"What are you starring at, dollface?" he asked quietly.

She slipped closer to him. She hesitated a minute before she dared to touch his face slightly. She smiled.

"And you call _ME_ the dollface? You're still quite handsome, Mister."

He chuckled angrily. "You don't mean that."

"I do."

It was wrong in so many ways but right now, somehow the feelings from so long ago took over. She kissed him lightly on his scar on the right cheek.


	5. Chapter 5 Memory lane

He pushed her back. A little bit harsher than it was intended. She jerked back. Ashamed, obviously.

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

"I told you, this is no wonderland and I'm not the mystic dark knight, dollface. You should realized that. The sooner, the better."

"Okay." she returned around and decided to face the wall. This was easier right now. And then, after several minutes - all of the sudden, he put his arm around her.

"J? Do you remember the last time we met?" Alice whispered. She knew he had heard her, when he sighed against her nape of the neck.

"You're really in for a walk down memory lane?" he asked.

"Nevermind." she replied and pretended to sleep. He was obviously thankful for that as he pulled her closer and snorted noisy after a while. But she remembered well.

* * *

_Since Mandy didn't speak with Jack anymore and her boyfriend, Brice who was a dumbass ('_surprise, surprise_') had punched Jack more than once, without reason he didn't showed up on the playground anymore. So Alice hadn't seen him in a long time when she met him on her way to the high school and he was on his way to the factory. She knew he worked there from her mother. _

_So on this rainy day, when she walked down the street under her yellow umbrella and spotted him several meters ahead on the sidewalk she called his name. He turned around, furrowing. _

"_Don't you remember me?" she asked in disbelief._

_He shook his head. When she finally reached him, she held her umbrella above the two of them. _

"_Well, I guess I'm not so memorable. I bet you wouldn't have forget about Mandy so easily." she smiled sadly and lowered her gaze to the ground._

"_Alice. Little Alice. How could I forget." he smiled now, too. Alice couldn't help but notice how handsome he had grown up. His blond hears were a tiny bit longer and curly. His beautiful brown eyes were as stunning as ever. _

_On their way down the sidewalk they chatted about life, school, cars. Small talk. When he walked to the gate of the factory, he turned around one last time and waved. That was the last time Alice saw him. _

Until their little run-in-each-other incident at the coffee shop. With the vision of the younger Jack, Alice felt asleep in the Joker's arm.

* * *

Meanwhile in the Joker's dream.

_Jack was twenty again and this morning when he left his parents' house, the yelling echoed through the whole block. 'Shit, it rains.' But going back in the house to grab an umbrella was no option right now so he walked down the street without any protection against the rain. _

_That was until a girl called his name. '_Who on earth could this be?_' he wondered. But since the girl had called the right name, the possibility of a mistake was little. When he spotted the cute blonde with her awful sun-yellow umbrella he asked himself if he ever had seen this girl before. She seemed nice and was beautiful. But obviously younger. He didn't know any teenie girls nor did he met some in the last months. '_From school maybe? Yeeeah, of course, idiot. Since you were so popular there._'_

_The cute little Alice danced around with her yellow umbrella for a while in his dream until another woman appeared in the back of his vision. He starred at her. She was in a white nightgown. In the rain on this day but the droplets didn't seem to hit her. She was like surrounded by a halo. _

_He knew this woman. He knew her well._

* * *

A/N: I'm so sorry that this is so short, but I promise the next chapter will be longer and hotter ;-)


	6. Chapter 6 After the gathering

Alice woke up when she felt Jack pressing her hard against himself. He was mumbling. But she didn't understand what he was saying. So she took all strength she could afford to loosen his grip for a second and turn around. He was asleep. A nightmare hunted him. He had sweat on his forehead. He pressed her tighter again.

_"Don't leave, don't leave me, no, no, don't go, stay with me, don't leave me alone…_" he mumbled merely. She had to bring her ear directly in front of his ear to understand those words. He had a nightmare. He was a nightmare for this city. But he was also a human being with normal emotions. Even when they were hidden deep down in his soul.

* * *

Jack was going through the hell in this dream. The woman in the white nightgown. It was his Emily. The Emily he lost seven years ago. She smiled at him and then turned around in his dream and ran away. He tried to catch up with her but he couldn't reach her. So he called for her. Begged her to don't leave him. He ran and ran but he could reach her or touch her.

* * *

Alice watched the man who was clinging on her for dear life close. She couldn't help but brush some of the tears and the sweat of his face with her thumb. She knew very well that he didn't dream about her. But still she started to talk to him. The failed attempt to calm him.

"It's okay Jack. It's okay, I'm not going anywhere…." she replied his whispering. She started to caress his back. After a while, his eyes opened and widened in horror. The end of the dream seemed to be very bad. She eyed him carefully and stopped the petting.

Hey returned her gaze. After a while he spoke to her. "You'll never tell anyone of this."

She nodded. "Never."

"Go-ood." he replied in a dangerous quiet voice.

"Who were you dreaming of?" she asked.

He hesitated. He couldn't tell her of course, so he lied. He was good at lying. And he couldn't allow that someone knew his secret and hit that nerve. "My mother." '_Great Idiot. Now little dollface will think you're a pussy with a Freudian complex. Good job!_' he cursed himself.

"Ah." she replied. Alice decided it was better not the asked too much right now. Suddenly she spotted something outside of the window. "I don't believe this!" she whispered and he furrowed. "I refuse to believe this!" she said louder, getting angry all of the sudden. Her eyes still glued on the window.

"What is i…." he turned around and saw what she meant. It took a moment before he burst out into laughter. It was Harley! She hung in a mountain climber belt on a rope in front of the window, watching them. She pouted and her hand were clenched tightly around the robe. She definitely didn't look happy at all. "Rappeling from the roof top? Ha ha! Harley you're a truly a stalker!" The joker laughed.

"I can't laugh about this." Alice commented dryly.

"Oh co - me ooon, little Alice. You have to admit: She really tries ha-ard." he chuckled delighted.

Alice decided that it was time now to do something about it. _Right about now…_

"Well we've two options now." Alice announced.

"Igno- - ring her or make jokes of her?" the Joker asked amused.

"No. Cut the robe or give the girl the show she came for." Alice said teasingly and lifted an eyebrow.

"You can't be serious." he said in a serious tone. He. Did. Not. Expect. This. He even forgot to use his childish accent.

"Oh, I am. Your choice." She nodded.

"We can't cut the robe. Harley is too much fun. I ne – ver so such a masochist like her before. Every time it gets boring with my BFF Batsy the bat-rat, she's my second favorite plaything." he explained nonchalant.

"Well, I'd say she overstepped her boundaries right now, don't you agree? Let's punish her." Alice said.

"What do you have in mind?" The Joker asked as he lifted an eyebrow at her.

She smirked and was on top of him within a minute. The Joker was totally surprised by this girl and her way of problem-solution-finding. She straddled him and when she sat up the blanket fell off. There was quite a lot of yelling and clamor outside of the window.

"Hhmmm, somehow I get the feeling our little peeping tom out there doesn't like the show." Alice gave him a diabolic smile.

"Well. I still don't know what I did to deserve you, dollface. But Karma seems to like me." The joker smirked back as he put his hands on her hips.

The next noises were kicking and bouncing against the window.

"When she breaks the windows, I'll cut the robe. It's already damn cold in here." Alice declared.

The Joker chuckled. "Well, let's heat this place up. " He said as he tugged slightly on her shirt.

"Are you serious?" Alice asked shocked. Yes, she wanted to make the weirdo girl in front of the window furious. But the idea of really having sex with him of all people. Now and here. That was most definitely Not. Part. Of. The. Plan!

"Ah ah ah, little bunny. Nobody told you not to start games you can't win?" He said as he pulled her closer softly. When she felt his lips on hers she knew that there was no turning back now. When she returned the kiss, she could feel Joker smirking against her lips. She took his wrist and pushed them in the pillow above his head. He chuckled a bit but let her do. Both of them knew that he was the stronger one. If he really want to, he could take control.

He pulled his hands out of her grip, grabbed her hip and turned her over so that she was lying on her back now. He started to kiss her along her jaw line and neck. Now with Joker above her and moonlight flowing in (only halted by a furious, yelling little creature hanging on a rope and who was now swinging from one side of the window to the other caused by her kicking and bluster) she could see his features clearly. He had worked out a lot. He was really muscular and good looking for the monster he actually was. But how he could sleep in nothing but his boxers in this icy room was beyond her. She got goose bumps already.

"Now, is this a sign of arousal or a sign that I should pay the fuel bill, huh?" he teased.

"Both I guess." she admitted. And he laughed. "Do you think you're little stalker out there will make Voodoo puppets for you and me?" she asked teasingly.

He shrugged, and took something from the nightstand. A second later she recognized that it was a knife.

"What the hell?" she asked worried.

"Ah tat a tat a." he returned before he started to cut the shirt open.

"Okay. It's your shirt. Cut it. But be careful. It's MY skin after all."

"You talk way too much right now dollface." he said but he was very concentrated on ripping the shirt off in a zigzag-pattern. When he was done and ripped the shirt off of her, she froze in the place. She pressed her eyes shut.

"What's the matter, bunny?" he asked confused.

"Nothing. Let's just get over it." she whispered in return.

Joker frowned. He took one of her arms, she flinched a bit but let him do it. He lifted the arm and let it drop and so did she. She was like a lifeless doll.

"Is this because of Harley?" he asked with a bit of anger.

"No…no it's not." Alice replied as a tear run down her cheek.

* * *

A/N: I hope any of you guys could laugh too about the imagine of Harley in front of the window :o)


	7. Chapter 7 comes the scattering

„Then what the hell is going on with you, if it's not Harley?" the Joker asked annoyed. She started this game and now she acted like a panicked little lap dog who was afraid of getting punished by his owner.

Alice just shook her head. Her eyes still shut. She was shaking by now.

"Okay, o – kay. Not in the mood to play. Well, lucky you, I'm not much of rapist." he sighed and lifted himself up from the bed. He grabbed the blanket and throw it disinterested on the bed before he walked over to the window.

Alice slowly opened her eyes and calmed down. She cursed herself for getting weak in front of him. She knew, one day he was going to use this against her. But right then and there, he looked like someone of her past. Someone she rather not thought of. "You are not going to let the little freak in, are ya?"

"First of all, dollface, right now you're not in the position to give requests. Actually you're never but especially not now after pulling your little stunt here. Point two. No, I'm no – tttt. I'm beyond annoyed already." he said before he slowly opened one of the large windows.

"Haaarley. Whatcha doing here?" he asked innocently. As if he just spotted she there and they were going to have a little chit-chat. Just like two people who run accidently into each other on the street.

"Puddin! I can't believe you!" Harley whined. Still spinning around herself caused by her inability to hold still.

"Why?" the joker chuckled while watching the helpless woman.

"You! HER! BED!" Harley shouted.

"Well, what can I say? Lil dollface has quite some talents. " The Joker laughed.

After this, Harley lost it. She yelled, whined, sobbed and struggled so heavy that none of her words could be understood.

After a minute or two, the Joker sighed. "Enough already!" he cut her off annoyed. "Tell you what, lil' harlequin. Bring me the Batman and you may sleep in that bed for a night or two as well."

He closed the window and got back in the bed.

"Do you think it was wise to make that promise?" Alice asked.

"Do YOU think it's wise to make me even more angry right now, dollface?" he replied.

'No, no it's not wise.' Alice thought as she turned on her side. All of the sudden, his arm wandered around her waist. His chest pressed against her back. She frowned. What was he up to now? The guy who blew up the hospital and the mafia bank didn't really seemed to be the cuddling type.

"Not. A. Word. Regard this as your own little punishment for turning me on and then play the little shy virgin. You're my personal hot-water bottle replacement from now on." Joker hissed.

Alice sighed. The Joker clicked his tongue annoyed.

"Tell me." the Joker said. No reaction from the girl right in front of him. "TELL meee now!" he commanded in a low, angry voice.

"Tell what?" Alice whispered.

"Don't play dumb. I don't like that. You're not a virgin and you acted quite like a pro until it got out of your hand. What happened to you?" the Joker asked in _his adult Jack voice_.

Alice closed her eyes again and the flashback started.

_The dark room, the men, the knife, the police man who laughed right in her face, the gun, the dark alley.  
_

"When I finished High School, I moved out in to my own little flat downtown. I found myself a job as bartender in a small club. What I didn't know then, it was a mafia club…" Alice started her story and as soon as the word "mafia" sounded, the Joker hissed "…but quite soon I know what they played there. Everyday there were dealer, criminals, junkies and all other kind of human trash making their deals with the mafia in bright daylight. But what shocked me the most in the beginning were the police men who showed up once a week to get their bribe."

"That so fa – a – ar the usual. Welcome to Gotham City. Go on." the Joker interrupted her.

"Well, one day a deal burst. And it was kind of a big one. The Batman discovered their delivery and stopped it, called the police and all. You can imagine what kind of mood swings that created. Well, and I guess I was the perfect target to vent their wrath on. I don't remember that much. It happened all so fast. Suddenly I had a knife on my neck. I know that I fought them but then their boss beat me senseless. When I awaken from the knock-out, the last thing I saw where police guys above me. One of them laughing in my face. I called him bastard. The next minute I'd a bullet in my right hip. Then I blacked out again. When I woke up again, I laid on a dark dead-end street and all of the sudden another human being kneed beside me. The next thing I realize was waking up in the Gotham General. That's two years ago now." Alice finished her story. Since his interruption the Joker hadn't moved or spoke. Alice turned around a bit to see his face. But what she saw let her froze.

Jack's face was pure anger. He looked terrifying. Alice starred at him. When he realized it, his face got a bit softer.

"You don't need to worry, bunny. I'm not going to hurt you …._like that_….ever. That's the difference between this animals and me. They have no respect, know no limits, only focused on the money. And their way of treating women. Let's just say your #2 of my women they hurt. I'm going to end this mafia regime once and for all." Joker declared.

"I think it's time for a confession, J." Alice whispered carefully.

"huh?" Joker lifted an eyebrow at her.

"I know #1 of your women they hurt." Alice said fearfully.

* * *

A/N: I know, another cliffhanger and no hard&heavy interaction by now. But I promise it will come up soon. Just like the update I'm writing on right about now.

Btw: I'm sorry for the many mistakes in the last chapter but I usually write this story in the evenings and yesterday I was obviously behind tired. And since English isn't my native language, please be kind! Thanks.

One last thing: ANguy, you're the coolest reviewer I had so far :-D


	8. Chapter 8 the ugly past

„Dollface, I hate liars." Joker hissed.

"It's true Jack. I met Emily." Alice was shocked about herself to be tough enough to spell it.

"When? How?!" Joker hissed as he pushed himself off the bed. "DO TELL NOW!" he yelled as he stood beside the bed, next to her.

"I met her five years ago." Alice said.

"LIAR! She died seven years ago." Jack was back but he was angry. He put his hands around her throat.

"She did not! Tell me, where did you learn from that she died in a domestic accident, huh?" Alice whispered, he choked her by now. Spelling each of this words cost a lot of energy. He released her when she's just an inch away from passing out. But he needed to know this. He needed! NOW! How did this silly cute little blond thing find out so much about his wife? The beloved wife he lost before he got his scars and became the Joker.

"Look, it's the truth. When I told you I moved out. I didn't tell you that the mafia don got me my flat. And the girl he threw out to make space for me was her. They kept her in that flat all the time, hoping you'll come to get her so that they could get you." Alice told him.

Jack was pale. If this was the truth, maybe Emily was still alive. And what about the baby?

"Alice, liiiis – ten good. You're going to tell me everything you know. Now. Understood?" he said in a calm voice. Scaring her off wouldn't help now. Nervous people forget things. He couldn't allow that now.

"As I told you. I was stupid enough to apply in this bar. I didn't know it was a mafia place. So they hired me and the boss, his name was Luigi, told me he could offer a place to stay. A place which was occupied way to long now. So his man and he, they drove me to an apartment bloc in the Narrows. They told me to wait outside while they would take care of something…." she stopped, her eyes watering. The joker took her hand to pretend comforting. There was no way she would stop this story now. "…so after a few minutes, there was a gun shot. And ten minutes later the henchmen carried a body outside and a struggling woman. The women told them that her Jack would come to get her, that they would be dead soon, and so on. But they just pushed her in the van. After this, Luigi led me in the building and showed me the two room apartment. It was a mess. Trash, dirty, used clothes, used needles, and that stench. It was unbearable. But he told me to clean up and be at the bar next day at eleven. "

"What did happen afterwards? Did you see her again?"

"Yes. The next day. When I went to work, they sent me in the basement to get some bottles of liquor. And there I heard it. The whimper from one of the small rooms down there. I was stupid enough to go to the door and open it. And there she was. They had punched her senseless the day before and then let lay there like trash. I helped her up from the floor to a chair and asked her for her name. She told me it was Emily Napier. I asked her if _her Jack_ she called for yesterday was you and well, it was. Napier is not much of a popular last name. And she told me how they came to get her after your disappearance. She told me that they brought her to the flat I was living in now. They kicked her until she had a miscarriage and let her lie there for seven days without showing up again. Without food. Luckily the water still worked."

"So she was still alive then? But all the blood in our house when I came back…"

"…wasn't hers. Yes. But that day I couldn't talk too much. When they recognized upstairs that I was way too long in the basement, Luigi's brother, Joey came looking for me." Alice stopped again. Tears were running down her cheeks now.

The Joker flinched. Joey – well, he knew him _very_ well. "what did he do?"

Alice shook her head. "Tell me dollface." the Joker commanded once more.

"He….he…."

"Raped you?" the Joker asked softly. He didn't want to discuss her trauma crap now but he wanted to help the story along.

"No. Not that day….he did this." Alice returned as she pushed herself off the bed. She was still only wearing that pair of boxers since the cut the shirt in pieces. "Turn the light on."

The Joker switched the light on the nightstand on and he got a good look at her backside. Normally he would have enjoyed this very much but what he saw doesn't turned him on that much. She had a 5 inch big scar in form of a J on her left bladebone.

"I guess you can figure out what it is supposed to mean. He isn't that creative, you know." Alice explained. The Joker took one of her wrists and pulled her back in the bed.

"Look, dollface. I know that this isn't the best time of your life you're talking about but I need to know all of it." Joker said to her.

"Jack, it doesn't matter in the end. She's dead. They killed her." Alice said bitterly.

"Tell me. After he gave you this scar. What happened?"

"I got some punching from the boss himself for disobey. And the next two weeks I wasn't allowed to go in the basement. But when I had to again, I tried of course to see her again. But it was too late, Jack. When I opened the door, she hung from the ceiling with a robe around her neck there. She killed herself. I'm sorry. " Alice whispered.

It was too much. All too much. So his wife didn't die at home like the police told him when he got home. She lived for another two years in living hell…..

"How did you escape?" Joker asked finally.

Alice chuckled a bit. "I didn't escape. They threw me away when they thought I was dead. But I'm not ready to tell that story yet. Just this: I wasn't dead and someone really wealthy found me. He helped me to build a live again."

"And who was that?" Joker asked curious.

"Bruce Wayne." Alice returned.

The Joker jumped up from the bed. After all the things he heard tonight there was no way in hell that he slept again until he got revenge. Bloody, painful, cruel revenge. He was with three long steps on the door.

When he opened it, he turned around. "Get another shirt from the dresser and get some rest. Tomorrow we've a lot of things to do, little dollface."

Alice nodded. "Do you hate me now?"

"Why would I? You're just the messenger. Au contraire actually. Without you I would never heard about this. But just to get it right: This scar on your back. It stands for Joker now. You're mine now. And you'll never leave me, understood Sweetheart?" Joker commanded.

Alice nodded. _'You stupid thing. Now look what you brought to yourself. You're gonna die through his hand or next to him one day.'_

_

* * *

_**A/N: I know this chapter is rather weak but I promise it's just bc it is a filling chapter. The next ones are going to be more action and more smut. I promise. please review!**_  
_


	9. Chapter 9 old habits die hard

A/N: Sorry that you had to wait so long for this but I've the flu and couldn't write the last days. But I hope you enjoy this one! Please review!

* * *

When Alice woke up the next morning, the apartment seemed to be empty. Normally the Joker was a really loud person. The way he hummed all the time, his walking around, everything was quite loud. But this morning, after this very bad night, she didn't hear him. So Alice got up. Dressed in nothing but one of his boxers and a under-shirt she found in the dresser. She rose from the bed and opened the door to the living room. She was quite surprised to find the Joker sitting on his desk, not moving a millimeter. He sat there like froze.

"Morning." Alice tried to make conversation to check his mood. But there was no reaction.

She thought a few seconds about her options until she shrugged and walked in the kitchen to make coffee. 'This is going to be ugly when he wakes up from his froze state.' she thought.

She was surprised to find the coffee maker already prepared. She just had to switch on the machine.

"You didn't prepare this to poison me, did you?" She asked with a lifted eyebrow. Still no reaction. He still wore nothing but his boxers and not even the so-called 'war-paint'. His face was a pure picture of sadness. If she hadn't known better, Alice had felt pity for him. But this man, yet so sad, yet so prepared to stab you in five seconds, wasn't one to feel pity for.

When the coffee was ready she poured herself a cup and one for him. She placed his right in front of him on the desk but turned around and sat on the couch. She wouldn't force him to do anything. The tension in the air was so thick, you could have cut it with a knife. When she finished her cup of coffee she went back in the kitchen, she washed the dishes and prepared the coffeemaker just like she had found it earlier.

"I gonna take a shower." She said as she passed the lifeless Joker. When she was about to turn the doorknob, the coffee cup hit the wall just next to her head. It shattered into thousand pieces. Luckily the coffee was already cold, otherwise the amount of fluid that hit Alice would have caused burns. Alice was shocked. She turned around just to find the Joker right behind her. He had moved from the desk to her in no time. His face was so close, their noses nearly touched.

He breathed heavily. He was furious, she could tell. After a few moments of silence, Alice decided that he would do what he wanted to do anyways. He was the Joker for crying out loud!

"What's the matter?" she whispered.

"YOU. tell me the true reason you diiiiid not tell me the stoooory earlier? What was the reason for that, huuuuuh? Oh I know it already. You dooo not have to spell it." Jay told her as his hand sneaked around her neck.

"What are you talking about?" she asked him in disbelief.

"Ooooh you know. You didn't tell me earlier because you're the reeeason they killed her."

"WHAT? I told you she killed hers…." FLASH, he backhanded her harshly. Full force. Her head made a 90 degree turning and crashed into the wall. Before she could open her eyes again, the next slap hit her. When she fell on the floor he even started kicking her. He continued this action until she nearly passed out.

When she laid on the floor and didn't move anymore, he stopped. Alice made sure to stay as still as she could. She couldn't take much more hitting.

He stood in front of her for a while, heavily breathing. But then he turned around, walked out of the door and slammed it. When his footsteps got quieter, Alice allowed herself to cry. She sobbed what made it even harder to breathe. After a few minutes she tried to stand up but it didn't worked. Her legs just didn't want to be strong enough to hold her up. She tried to crawl but since her left shoulder seemed to be dislocated, that also didn't work. So she did what was the only thing to do. She laid down on the floor and stayed in that position.

Unfortunately – or luckily, with the Joker you'll never know – he just let her alone for two or three hours. Alice guessed that as there were no clocks in her view.

* * *

When he opened the door, she heard the rustling of shopping bags. He set those on the coffee table in front of the couch and walked slowly over to her. She stopped breathing, shut her eyes and waited for whatever he'd do to her now.

"What cha still doing here on the floor?" he asked gentle. Alice started to shiver, she excepted him to be even more evil when he played nice. "Hey, dollface. Look at me."

Alice couldn't help but cry again. She swore to herself earlier that she'd never show that much of weakness in front of him but then again – she couldn't do anything against it.

"Oh, shhhh. Don't cry, honey. Smiiiiile!" The joker teased her.

Alice held her eyes closed when she suddenly felt his hands on her. But he didn't try to make a move on her - he picked her up from the floor and carried her to the couch. She yelped in pain when he let her drop too harshly for her wounded shoulder. She shivered even more, when she felt him sitting on the couch next to her hip.

"I don't like to repeat myself. Look at me Alice."Joker asked in a normal voice. Alice opened her eyes slowly. She looked at him in a mix of anger, angst and disgust. He eyed her carefully.

"I'll got a doctor." he said after a while. He rose from the couch, took his cell from one of his pockets and dialed a number. She heard him talk but didn't listen. One ability Alice learned early in her life, especially thanks to her self-centered older sister was the fading out of conversations she didn't want to hear. Afterwards he left without another word through the front door. When the door fell into its lock, she dared to watch around. When the bags on the table came into her view, her inner voice screamed 'YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!'. She eyed the labels on the many large bags in disbelief.

_Bendels. Chanel. Lorwick. Dior. Barneys. Madison Avenue. _

Every label-whoring woman's heart would have pound double time at the view of these. But Alice was not one of that kind of women. And right now she was in so much pain, that she wasn't even in the position to laugh about these bags.

* * *

A little while later, Joker came back. Followed by a not very tall man with glasses who looked pretty young and very arrogant.

"Holy crap. What did you do with her?" the man asked in amused tone when he spotted Alice.

"Shuuuut up, Crane." Joker commanded.

The smaller man nodded and walked closer to Alice.

"Okay, princess. I'm Doctor Crane and your obvious gentle owner asked me to look at your bruises, fractures and anything else he did to you." Crane joked.

"I warned you!" The Joker shouted as he hit Crane on his back of the head. Crane flinched a bit.

"Okay, okay. Well, gorgeous, I'll start at the feet and legs first. He pushed his glasses higher on his nose and told Alice to move her toes. "Okay. these two" he pointed at the smallest toe and the third toe of the left foot "seem to be broke. Let me check." He touched them and even at the smallest move those hurt like hell and made Alice yelp. "Okay, not broke. Just dislocated. I gonna put them in place now. Better stay still princess. It will hurt very much but if I don't do it, it will hurt more." Crane announced before he grabbed her foot harshly and pinched it under his arm to hold it in place. He turned his head to the Joker. "Jay, you better get an trashcan or something like that. The chances that your little toy here will vomit all over the floor are really high."

The Joker nodded and took the rubbish bin from under his desk and put it in front of the couch where Alice head laid. She refused to look at him but she could feel him stare at her.

"Okay, here we go, kid." Crane said before he pressed on the first of her toes back in place. Alice screamed in pain. Tears ran down her cheeks and she couldn't breathe normal , she gasped for air. Before she could calm down, Crane put the other toe in place.

"Okay, that was that. Any other problems with the legs, princess?" Crane asked and Alice shook her head. Crane fumbled around her knees. "Okay, knees are fine." He started to tug on the boxers she wore and she grabbed them like a reflex. "Don't panic. I won't pull them down. I just need to take a look of where all this blood on that boxer short comes from. And I think it's the wound over your right hip, so please let me take a look at it." Crane explained melodramatic.

"Okay, this will need stitches. Oh man, Joker." Crane sighed annoyed as he walked over to his doctor briefcase and took out a needle and some blue fiber. Crane started to sew the wound without anesthesia. Alice bit her lips hard.

"Why don't you give her something, Crane?" The Joker asked angrily.

"Because I need her to be clear when I relocate her shoulder as the next thing."Crane explained.

"How do you even know that it's dislocated? You aren't that far, little drughead" the Joker asked bored.

"Well, Scarmouth, I just need to look on her uncomfortable gesture and the twisted way she holds her arm to know that." Crane replied annoyed as he did the last stitch. "So, sit up, princess. Time to turn your arm back in place." Crane smiled at her.

"You're enjoying this." Alice hissed.

"Oh yes, that I do!" Crane chuckled. "It's always nice to see to what our favorite Gotham City Villain is capable of. Never thought he'd beat a woman like that."

"Oh, yooouu will wonder soon how much harder I can beat small weird doctors if they don't do the work I asked them to do, alright, Crane?" the Joker threatened.

Crane gulped and pulled Alice in a sitting position. "Okay, sit tight. This is going to hurt as hell."

He took her arm but before he could turn it in the right position, the Joker slipped behind Alice and put his arms around her stomach to hold her in place. A 'CRACK!" of her bones, a loud pain filled scream and some sobbing later, the shoulder was relocated and Crane finally put an IV in Alice arm and gave her a fine dose of pain killers.

"My work is done. The bruises will disappear if you put the salve I gave you on it twice a day. She must not move this arm too much for a week and shouldn't carry anything heavy for the next three weeks. I'll give you an ampoule of the pain killer I just gave her. You need to give her some in the morning, until then, shall be fine. I'll come around in ten days to take the stitches out."

The joker nodded and dismissed Crane with a wave the next minute.

They were alone now. He walked back to the couch and Alice turned her gaze to meet his eyes with hers. Her face was emotionless and that bother him very much so he tried to light up the mood.

"Look what I got for you, dollface! So many nice new clothes!" The Joker pointed at the bags.

"Do I look like a ninety pounds fashion whoring girlie to you?" Alice returned could.

"Nope, but the clothes will fit nonetheless." Joker replied.

"How do you know and how did you get those? Half of those designer's have no shops in Gotham."

"I got them from Bruce Wayne." the Joker returned laughing.

* * *

_Earlier that day._

The Joker was furious. Not just because by the many things Alice had told him but also by the fact that he just beat the shit out of that girl although he knew that she was just the messenger.

Anyways, he was in the mood for massive destroy. So the told his men to put TNT and some gasoline barrels in the van. Ten minutes later they were in the City and the Joker managed to get access to the Headquarter of the local police. He knows that place very well. He had blown it up just five months ago. In the night Batsy's Rachel died. Now it was all new renovated and renewed. The perfect time to blow it up again. And so he put the gasoline and the TNT in place.

A "KAWOOM" and several clamor later, his mood was better. But not as good as it should be. He still felt bad for hitting Alice. So he decided to buy her a gift.

On their way in the city, the Joker spotted Bruce Wayne in front of his building with a huge number of shopping bags on his arms walking towards some trash cans.

He told his men to stop. He got out and followed Bruce in the impasse where the trash cans stood.

When Bruce reached and opened them, the joker was only ten feet away.

"A tatata! What cha doing, Mr. Wayne?" The joker asked.

Bruce stopped in the mid of his motion. He turned around slowly. He starred at the Joker in disbelief.

"Youuuu don't wanna throw away that, will ya?" the Joker asked.

"Yes, that was my intention indeed." Bruce returned carefully.

"Well, whyyyy?"

"Because, the person I wanted to give this to, is dead."

"Oh, who was it and how?" the Joker got curious.

"Her name was Rachel and you killed her."

There was a pause for a second but then the Joker chuckled.

"Who thought that the girl had so many famous friends. Dent, Batsy, you."

Bruce just clenched his jaw.

"Well, aaaaaanyways, if you don't need this anymore, I'll take it. I've someone who will be very haaaaappy with it."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. You won't tell the Batman about it, will ya, Mr. Waaayne?"

"No. I won't. I swear."

"Good. Otherwise shall try to take my girl away. Now give the bags."

"What's the magic word?"

"I think, the magic words are 'why so serious?' but right now I'm not in the mood for games, so…" he got closer to Bruce and snatched the bags._ If only he knew what he'd just done…_

_

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Don't forget to review!!!  
_


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